It was not great news yesterday.. but not too horrible, either. Manageable, we like to call it. While I won't be done with it anytime soon, it's nothing worse than what I've been doing already. And since I don't want this blog to turn into "chelehealthwatch '05", that's really all I want to say about it for now! If you know me well enough to e-mail me do that... I'll tell ya as much as you want to know.
I just clicked over at my daily horrorscope - er - horoscope. I don't really believe in that stuff.. sometimes I look at it at the end of a day to see if anything was right. But I actually kind of like this one:
Always look on the bright side of life -- that's your personal motto. It's amazing how well it works out for you, too. Many times tricky situations work out for the best simply because you expect that that's what will happen, especially when it comes to tackling new endeavors. The stars signal approval for any risks you may want to take, so go right ahead. Your winning attitude ensures that things will go your way.
It was a perfectly LOVELY evening last night, lemme tell you. Buying a place with a deck was the best, smartest move ever. And a deck that looks at "nature" (which I now like, by the way.. nature doesn't scare me anymore), is about 400 times better than a balcony that looks at traffic and buildings. It's the greatest, most relaxing place.. ahhhhh.
Such devastation in New Orleans. These folks, though, that are now being plucked off rooftops... did they actually THINK they were going to ride this thing out and come out unscathed?? Hopefully they'll know better next time. Oh, and the looters? They should just be pushed into the water. Nice...take advantage of a tragic situation to steal some stuff. Special place in hell reserved for them... grrr.
And yet the rescuers keep on rescuing. These doctors and nurses are heros in the best sense of the word. I just can't get past the sentence that says that 80% of New Orleans is underwater. I can't fathom it.
Let's talk about this idiot for a moment. He beat his wife to death.. and then argued that lethal injection was too cruel a punishment??? How about this - let's beat HIM to death with a chair and steel-toed boots. Oh, too bad. You had your lethal injection yesterday.
Oh, my... The morning is getting away from me here. I've gotta get ready for work. Have a most excellent day, Bellas. Ciao.
8/30/05 5:33 AM
Good morning. I just had to do a bunch of online money stuff (remember when we actually had to GO to a bank? Back in the olden times?). All I have to say is sh*t... moving was really expensive, as is stupid freakin' medicine, and I best be getting my damage deposit from the old place back soon. It's a good thing I have nothing spectacular planned for Labor Day weekend.
But life isn't so bad. Look what these folks have to put up with. At least 55 people killed, and that doesn't count those in Florida, and the ones they haven't found yet. There are folks who will lose everything. Time to donate to the Red Cross again..
Oh my gosh. I thought this was a follow up to the story from last week, but it's a different apartment fire in Paris.
Where is there even ROOM on the Las Vegas strip for another huge resort? Of course I would go there.. as long as it belongs to George Clooney ::sigh:: He's soooooo cute... Heh.
ABC is making a new version of "This is Your Life". It's all part of their secret plot to make me weep and wail uncontrollably at every single one of their shows. I still have an "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" show on my Tivo that I haven't watched yet...because I have to wait until I'm in the mood for a good cry to do so.
Show of hands - who thinks that this guy is an idiot? Uh-Huh. That's what I thought.
Today I have to go in for a follow-up to the mammogram from Saturday. I'm hoping for the best, while bracing for the not-so-best. Life is throwing some curve balls lately. I appreciate any good thoughts you could send this way. Still... remember - la vita e bella. Life's beautiful, and so are you. Ciao, Bellas.
8/29/05 5:17 AM
It's all about Hurricane Katrina this morning. I'm watching MSNBC, and they're saying that it's going to be a Category 4 storm when it makes landfall in a couple of hours. The French Quarter could be covered with 20 feet of water. It sounds like they knew that the pumps and levees had no chance against a huge hurricane.. why did they not do anything about it? More than 80% of the buildings may be destroyed.
And now, at 5:32 AM Central Time, they just announced that it's made landfall east of Grand Isle LA. Two hours or less and it'll be over New Orleans. God bless and keep everyone down there.
On a little lighter note... this is almost as scary as the hurricane. The top 100 songs from the year I graduated high school. Oh. My. God. Disco was alive and well. This is why I am the way I am. There's just WAY too many songs on there by the Bee Gees, or some variation of Bee and Gee. In case you're too lazy to click on the link, here are the top ten:
1. Shadow Dancing, Andy Gibb
2. Night Fever, Bee Gees
3. You Light Up My Life, Debby Boone
4. Stayin' Alive, Bee Gees
5. Kiss You All Over, Exile
6. How Deep Is Your Love, Bee Gees
7. Baby Come Back, Player
8. (Love Is) Thicker Than Water, Andy Gibb
9. Boogie Oogie Oogie, A Taste Of Honey
10. Three Times A Lady, Commodores
Okay. I'm gonna go watch the news. Ciao, Bellas.
8/28/05 10:19 PM
I've been watching coverage of Hurricane Katrina. This is scary. This is from the National Weather Service:
Urgent Weather Message from NWS New Orleans
WWUS74 KLIX 281550NPWLIXURGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1011 AM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005
DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED
HURRICANE KATRINAA MOST POWERFUL HURRICANE WITH UNPRECEDENTED STRENGTH...RIVALING THE INTENSITY OF HURRICANE CAMILLE OF 1969. MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. ATLEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL.PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED.
CONCRETE BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME WALL AND ROOF FAILURE. HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT. AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATEADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...
AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK. POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...
BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEWCROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BEKILLED.AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS NEARHURRICANE FORCE...OR FREQUENT GUSTS AT OR ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE..
.ARECERTAIN WITHIN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.ONCE TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ONSET...DO NOT VENTUREOUTSIDE!LAZ038-040-050-056>070-282100-ASSUMPTION-LIVINGSTON-LOWER JEFFERSON-LOWER LAFOURCHE-LOWER PLAQUEMINES-LOWER ST. BERNARD-LOWER TERREBONNE-ORLEANS-ST. CHARLES-ST. JAMES-ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST-ST. TAMMANY-TANGIPAHOA-UPPER JEFFERSON-UPPER LAFOURCHE-UPPER PLAQUEMINES-UPPER ST. BERNARD-UPPER TERREBONNE-1011 AM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005
Thoughts and prayers to everyone in its path.. This is gonna be a bad one. Buona Sera.
8/27/05 10:16 AM
Good Morning, and happy Saturday to you.
We had some awesome sushi last night at Benihana. Mmmm.. Mystic Rolls. Funny, when nothing else tastes good to me, I can always go for a little sushi. And to think that a year ago, I was afraid of it. (well, afraid is a strong word.. leery of it might be a better way to describe it.)
I've started this paragraph like four different times.. I'm a little crabby today. There are days when I feel like I give alot and not as much comes back my way. On the other hand, really, shouldn't my giving be freely from my heart, without the expectation of payback? On the third hand, I don't want to be used. On the fourth hand, what is my motivation in giving? On the fifth hand.. well... if you have five hands you're a freak, and I don't wanna be a freak. So I'm just gonna stew about it for a while.
I think some of the crabbiness is from nerves. I'm going in for a mammogram today (yes, I'll spare you the PSA. Just get one, or tell a woman you love to get one), and that always makes me a little nervous. When I'm done with that I believe a trip to the state fair might be in order. We'll see. I really need to get to the grocery store too. My fridge and cupboards are looking a little bare. I looked in there this morning and said "Who lives here? Why doesn't she buy us food?" There's no milk, no bread.. how am I supposed to have breakfast? Where oh where is my SimonDelivers?
And that's all, I guess. I promise to be in a more sunshiney state of mind tomorrow. Have a most adequate day.. Ciao.
8/26/05 5:25 AM
Technically, I didn't lie, because there IS more later.. it's just that later is the next day is all. I awoke to the huge lightning flashing thunder crashing storm.. and also to the fact that it was one meeeeellion degrees in my house. Quickly got the AC and the fans going.. it feels better already in here. How hot is it supposed to get today, anyway? ::Checking weather page:: Hmmm. Only 80, but thunderstorms all day, or at least all morning. House stays closed up, air stays on then.
We have tornados and blizzards, they have earthquakes and rolling blackouts. I guess no place is perfect.
Don't celebrities lock their doors? He just wandered into her house through an open door.. You might want to invest in some sort of security system there, Jennifer.
The weekend, in no particular order, shall consist of: a little sushi, some state fair time, a mammogram (do I need to plug these yet again, people? Trust me.. early detection WILL save your life), football, card games, cleaning, laundry, knitting, more state fair time, sitting on the deck, and hanging by the pool. You are welcome to join me in any or all of those endeavors. Have a most excellent day, amici. Ciao.
8/25/05 8:38 AM
Day off in the middle of the week. More later.
8/24/05 5:24 AM
Good day, lads and lassies.
What the hell? I was all Scotland for a moment there. Got the stuff cleared out of the locker, and I did save a few things - I had some ornaments in there that's I'd forgotten about, and a cute little cross stitched blanket. Everything else went into the trash. It's starting to be a good feeling, having just the one place. After Friday I can call the electric company and cancel that, and the renters insurance (I kept that in case something blew up after I'd moved out..) and then I'm done. Hope I get most of the deposit back.
What the hell, man? Was this an old guy who just came out shooting? (they arrested him at a retirement community). Swear to God, I'm not leaving the house anymore. I wish SimonDelivers came to the new place..
These people just need to go away, too. The news is making me a little crabby this morning. Therefore, I'm going to just do a meme instead, stolen from Fabulous Jenni:
1. When you look at yourself in the mirror, what's the first thing you look at?
My hair. Or rather the LACK of my hair.
2. How much cash do you have on you?
On me right now? None. I don't carry cash in my jammies.
3. What's a word that rhymes with "TEST"?
Crest. (I just brushed my teeth).
4. Favorite plant?
Rosemary. I don't have any growing this year for the first time in forever. I wonder if I could get some to grow in the house? Might have to give that a try.
5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
Mare
6. What is your main ring tone on your phone?
It sounds like an old-fashioned phone ringer.
7. What shirt are you wearing?
Grey XXXL sweatshirt. I think I stole this one from someone...
8. Do you "label" yourself?
Yes. Don't we all?
9. Name brand of the shoes you're currently wearing?
I'm not wearing shoes right now (the whole jammies thing..) but the last pair I had on were my Hello Kitty tennis shoes. I don't know what brand they are.
10. Bright or Dark Room?
Very bright and sunny. I love it that my new place faces south.
11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?
I heart Jenni. She's one of the coolest girls I know.
12. Do you know what an 8-track is?
Damn right I do. I had a Barry Manilow 8-track when I was a kid.
13. What were you doing at midnight last night?
I was IMing with a friend of mine. Yes, I should have been sleeping.
14. What did your last text message you received on your cell phone say?
LOL! It was from JenX (not to be confused with Jenni), and it said that she was "on her throne"!! (Bet you'll never text me from there again, will you JenX?!?! Heh heh).
15. Do you ever click on Pop-ups or banners?
I am a Mac girl. I don't get pop-ups.
16.What's a saying that you say a lot?
"I can't know", "Call on me", "F*ck me running", "Not-so-much", "Someone needs to explain this to me"... there are thousands of chele-isms.
17. Who told you they loved you last?
Hmm.. it's sad that I can't remember this right off the top of my head. I know that people do love me, they just don't say it as often as I do. I think it was my Good Ol'CuzBoy, about a month ago.
18. Last furry thing you touched?
Issy's on my lap (and therefore on part of the laptop) right now.
19. How many hours a week do you work?
Too many. When I'm feeling just fine, about 50. Right now I'm probably at closer to 40.
20. How many rolls of film do you need to get developed?
None. I'm digital-girl.
21. Favorite age you have been so far?
I think every age is my favorite age. La Vita e Bella, eh?
22. Your worst enemy?
I don't want to even give my enemy that much time and energy. Next question.
23. What is your current desktop picture?
The firepit from Crosby Park, at our last picnic.
24. What was the last thing you said to someone?
"Good Night" as I was getting off the phone.
25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to erase all of your regrets, what would you choose?
Eh, I don't have that many regrets.. I'd take the cash!
Okay.. I feel much better now. Feel free to copy it, and tell me your answers, too. (I promise, I'll stop doing these meme things. Or not-so-much!) Have a good day. Ciao, Bellas.
8/23/05 5:09 AM
Hey There. I almost rolled over and went back to sleep for a while. Did the half-hearted try-to-shut-my-eyes thing, but no use. This is when I wake up, and once I'm out of bed, it's fine. Again.. I'll probably hit the wall at about 2:00. As long as I can take a little nap when I get home from work..
We're going over to the old place to haul the stuff out of the storage locker. I haven't been in there for 8 years.. I can't imagine that there's anything I need in there. It's going right from the locker to the trash. I turn the keys in on Friday, and then I am officially a western 'burbs girl. It makes me a little sad.
I agree with this. Parenthood is about joy and responsibility.. be it for mom and dad, dad and dad, or mom and mom. You don't ever get to just walk away from your kids.
The strike continues. I heard an expert on the news last night say that the first 48-72 hours are make or break for a strike. If it's business as usual, the strikers won't have accomplished much.. which would be too bad. Then again, if the money just isn't there to pay them, what can the company do? I can see both sides and it's sad, because neither one really wins in this situation.
Sorry, nutjob. Too little, too late. How do you plant a bomb and NOT intend to hurt or kill anyone? Enjoy the rest of your life in prison.
While she's not necessarily my favorite actress, I'm still looking forward to the next season of The West Wing. They're moving it to Sunday nights.. I hope that's not a bad sign.
Note to self - pick up this album when it arrives on iTunes.
Lots more knitting done last night, at SnB and after I got home. I'll finish it up this week, I promise. OH! and I got the coolest, grooviest cap to add to my collection from Ms. Brandacious. Thank you!! I'll have to think of some very special occasion on which to wear it.. hee hee. Perhaps when we all make the trek out to Hudson..
That's all I know. Here's where we start the day. Ciao.
8/22/05 5:09 AM
I can't believe August is almost over. I can't believe how fast this year has gone by.. except, when I think about it, it feels like I've been living here a long time. I don't know what the point of all that is, exactly, but it felt important enough to say out loud.
Because in all reality I am a 12 year old boy sometimes... take a look at the Ipecac Puking clip from Family Guy. When this episode first aired, I had to Tivo it back about 12 times and watch it. Even now, I laugh so hard that I cry when I watch this.
Um... what else? I'm up and about, so that's a good thing. As Good Ol'CuzBoy says, any day that you're vertical is a good day. I'm gonna get myself in to work and do as much as I can before I hit the wall, then go home, rest up, and head over to see my knitting girls.
I went to my new favorite store yesterday - Big Lots. Holy cow.. it's like the Mall of America of stuff-you-never-knew-you-needed store. Everything in the WORLD is there, all at discounted prices (yes, I am Mrs. Consumer, thank you very much). It was very much like going on a treasure hunt... and I found some important items, like a cutting board and pot holders. I'll stop a moment while you catch your breath. My exciting life may be a little too much for you to take. ::weeping::
And there you have it. Hope your day is excellent. Ciao.
8/21/05 7:10 PM
The pool party was mostly fun. I did a little shopping earlier this afternoon, but have now been mostly laying low and quiet. Tough week coming. I've got nothin' else right now.. But will be back at it tomorrow morning. Until then, buona sera.
8/20/05 10:43 AM
It's a beautiful Saturday morning on the deck (balcony? patio? lanai? what should I call it?) and Issy and I are out here enjoying it. I finally do believe that kitties have good depth perception and they won't walk off the edge.. but I think next year I'm going to buy a few more pots and some really tall fake ficus trees to block off any potential tipping over places. I think mostly he just likes laying out in the sunshine. Although he just hauled himself up, walked under my chair and plunked down there. I think he was getting too warm.
Went to karaoke last night. Yeah, I'm a rock star. I wasn't going to get up at all (I could have done my best Sinead O'Connor impersonation), but I ended up doing a couple duets, and dancing around a lot. Dancing with my friend the Mook (not to be confused with da Moolie) is an interesting experience. It isn't so much dancing as it is being tossed around from one side to the other with my feet occasionally hitting the ground. It was fun. Our friend Lizzie-bop is having a pirate pool party this afternoon. We even have pirate names assigned.. I am Comely Bonnie Reilly. I used to be Mad Ethel Kidd, but I didn't want that name at all. That will be fun, too. Sitting around by a pool sounds like the perfect thing to do.
And so the strike at NW Airlines begins. It doesn't sound like this group has the support of the other unions, so it probably won't bring the airline to a standstill.. but I'm glad I'm not getting on an NW plane for a while. Living here, you tend to forget that there are other airlines out there. I flew America West to Santa Barbara earlier this year, and they were just great.
Congrats to Marcia Cross. She's my favorite Desperate Housewife.. and gives me hope that even old girls can still find a guy! heh.
Wait, while I fall over from NOT surprise. Courtney Love is back in spin-dry? Imagine my shock.
Off to start the day! Have a wonderful day...enjoy it. Ciao.
8/19/05 5:09 AM
Good Morning. And I guess that's all I have to say right now. Let me look at the news:
I wanted to simplify my image years ago, so I dropped the "Mi" from my name, because it was getting in between me and my fans, too.
Okay - I can almost say that with a straight face. Almost, but not quite.
Here's what I think about Garth Brooks and Wal-Mart....... nah. It's too easy. Sometimes you just have to let the most obvious ones pass.
Wasn't I just talking about this the other day?? A guy found smallpox vaccine at a garage sale. Just get RID of this stuff! How about that??
The DVD player is working - whoop! (Thanks...are you smart or what?) I want to stay home and watch Pee-Wee's playhouse all day, but I suppose I've gotta work. Here's hoping for an excellent day. Ciao.
8/18/05 4:59 AM
I remember thinking just before I fell asleep last night "the sound of crickets chirping is so much more relaxing than the sound of traffic". And thus my transition to suburbia is complete.
Some day I want to be famous, so they all write about me when stupid stuff happens. "Chele whacks her knee with the door. The story at 10:00."
I didn't know that Comcast owned the Outdoor Life Network. This explains how we got it so quickly on St. Paul cable, though. Next good thing about living in suburbia - way better cable TV.
This, on the other hand, is the funniest thing I've ever heard. If you've ever worked in customer service, you can entirely relate. Poor Jeffery.. that's quite a name you've made for yourself there. Heh heh.
Last night - The Liffey followed by Birthday Cake ice cream. I just realized that I have stuff going on every night until Sunday. Well, as long as I don't run myself completely ragged, it should be okay. Next week I'll have to go a little slower. The after-work nap helps, although I've never been much of a napper. I always think I'll miss something good when I'm sleeping during the day!
Have a good day, kids. Ciao.
8/17/05 5:07 AM
There are some mornings when I just wander around, stumble into things, and mutter incoherently. This is one of those mornings. Mrphglftrnz..
First, because you KNOW you want it, really, here's a little meme over at the LiveJournal.
People, people, people. What do I keep telling you? Buy a MAC! You won't have these problems.
I've been watching this a little bit.. but looks like they've settled. I'm thinking the airline thing isn't going to settle as easily.
Let's talk about absolute insanity for a moment. I like my laptop as much as the next girl.. but I'm not going to wet myself or hit people with a chair for it. Geeks gone wild. It's an ugly thing.
How stupid ARE some people, anyway? Let's deposit my paycheck at Matt's Bank, that he runs out of his apartment. THAT'S a fine idea. That should be a safe place to keep my money... Oy.
I have a meeting at 7:00 this morning (gah!) and a fairly busy morning after that. I'm tired this week, really tired. I need to rest up because the next two weeks after this are gonna be the toughest ones. Send some good thoughts over hyar, would ya? Grazie.
Have the best, most adequate, average day possible, kids. Ciao!
8/16/05 5:05 AM
It's amazing what happens when you leave work at 11:45 AM, plant yourself on the couch (with occasional trips to the deck) all day and then go to bed at a reasonable hour: you actually feel kind of good in the morning. Or at least you don't feel like grim death when the alarm goes off.
This story of the Greek plane crash is getting weirder and weirder. Now they can't find the contents of the black box with the voice recorder. And that supposed text-message from a passenger was a fake (whoever did that should be shot. not funny.) But at least it sounds like they were unconscious before the plane went down, so they didn't know they were going to crash. Still, how scary. We're walking to Vegas, I think.
Someone needs to explain this to me. Why, when they irradicated smallpox at the end of the 70s, did they keep stocks of the virus in labs? JUST so someone could steal it and sell it on the black market? JUST so it would never really go away? I don't get it...
Good thing I'm rested up, because it's a long day today. Lots of appointments. Cross all fingers for me, and I'm off to start the day. Ciao, Bellas. TiAMo.
8/15/05 4:45 PM
I've been home sick all afternoon, and I'm bored. So I did a meme over on my live journal.
Must go lay down again...
8/15/05 5:18 AM
I've said this before, but sometimes you just need to say it again:
You know that moment when you first wake up in the morning.. before all the weight and enormity of what's going on in your day/week/month/life all fully hits you? That's the best moment of the day.
Then 'real life' starts dawning on me.. all the stuff I have to do today; what I talked about yesterday; what's going to happen tomorrow. Some of it is good stuff. Some of it just sucks. I take it all on, piece by piece. It's the pile of bricks that I carry around with me every day. Sometimes I can drop a brick or two during the day. More often, I pick up three or four. Drag 'em around with me all day until I get into bed at night and drop them all on the floor beside me. I forget all about them until the next morning... when I have to pick 'em all up again.
It's not all bad. It's not all good, either. It's just what life is. And we get to do it everyday, because it's all better than the alternative. So now, a little news:
Oh my word: How incredibly scary is this? I'm never getting on a plane again. We're gonna drive to Vegas, okay??
My horoscope for today says "When you're thrown for a loop, you know how to turn it into a somersault." Here's to tumbling class! Ciao.
8/14/05 11:00 AM
I was out until very late (for me now, anyway) last night. Picnicked with my peeps down at Crosby Park and had an AWESOME fire. Boys are funny. A couple of us girls said that we were cold, and they got kinda primal on us - "We will go out into the forest and find wood! We will provide fire!" I have never seen happier boys, all dragging back huge limbs and stumps. It was cute, really. Heh. The park ranger tossed us out at 11:00, and I wasn't quite ready to go home and take medicine yet.. so we went for a little late-night snack. That's what summer nights should be about.
I have an incredibly lazy day planned today. It's perfect weather, so after one quick run to Tar-Tonka I am going to sit on the deck and read and snooze. Aaah. I hope your day is just as great. Ciao, Bellas.
8/13/05 11:35 AM
Chele's top-5 things to be happy about today:
1. Cecil's Deli - Monte Cohen samich.
2. Riding in the car on a perfect summer evening, listening to Sonia Dada.
4. Chai tea and english muffin with honey.(wow.. it's ALL about the food with me sometimes, isn't it?)
5. Laundry done, house clean, errands almost done. Lazy Saturday!
Have an excellent day, Bellas. Ciao!
8/12/05 5:17 AM
Could I BE happier about Friday? No, no I don't think so. I'm pretty goddam happy that it's Friday.
I cleaned last night. Cleaning is my cheap therapy-substitute. I grew up with a lot of chaos at home - emotionally, and clutter-wise. When I was a kid, I was told that I was the slob.. I was the reason the house was messy.. and, as a kid, I assumed that the rest of the chaos around me was my fault too. It took a long time to break away from that (and some not-as-cheap therapy). From the moment I moved out of there, right up until now, as an adult, my house is always neat and clean. Don't get me wrong.. it's LIVED IN - because I want to feel comfortable putting my feet up on the couch and I don't want it to look like a museum. But there can be no crap piled on the counters. No stuff on the dining room table. No junk thrown in the corner. I control the chaos. The more things get out-of-order in the rest of my life, the neater my place is. Interestingly, it doesn't work with my office at work. My office is chaos! This partly reflects the nature of my job - I just have a lot of STUFF in order to do what I do. But I think, too, it's the way I have of separating my work-self from my home-self. Or something. Anyway, my house is clean now, and I'm feeling much better about life.
Oh my gosh.. The Muppet Show on DVD! I must get this! Best. Show. Ever. And just for the record.. Kermit the Frog is older than me - so he's really old. Heh.
You just knew that this was gonna happen someday. Just goes to show - things are never quite as rosy in real life as they seem to be on TV.
Speaking of TV... Kaysar is back on Big Brother! Yes, I haven't written about it all summer, but I just can't help myself now. He got 5 million votes to come back in. I was responsible for about 4 million of those. Okay. I'll be done talking about it. For a while, anyway. (I KNOW you are watching this, Dame. You can't tell me you're not.)
Finally, I might now have a reason to return to McDonald's. After Mac and I watched "Super Size Me" last year, I pretty much quit going there because I was so freaked out by that movie. I can count on one hand the number I've times I've eaten there since then.. him, too (and we used to go there for lunch at least 2 or 3 times a week!). I do miss those cheeseburgers and fries, though, so I might have to go back again soon. Mmmm.. cheeseburgers...
Let's start the day then, shall we? Have a beautiful one. Ciao, Bellas! TiAmo.
8/11/05 6:54 PM
I am no longer crabby, because I am blog of the day over at the City Pages Blotter. Whoop! Now I'll have to be all interesting and happy every day, I suppose. Heh.. HEY - I am happy! (and don't you forget it..)
Ciao!
8/11/05 5:10 AM
Gah. Very, very tired today. Let's see if I can put some coherent thoughts together.
I just want to confess right now: I wasn't in the original Wonka movie either. There. I feel much better.
Issy-Cat is on my lap, head on the laptop, purring like a diesel engine. He's trying to hypnotize me with his kitty-cuteness, and is almost succeeding.. I dozed off for a second there.
Tonight has to be about doing some laundry and tidying up a little. I've had something going on every night for a week. I don't stay out late, but still. It's good to keep busy and distracted, though. So that's what's on my tiny little brain. Have a most excellent day, kids. Ciao.
8/10/05 5:10 AM
Yesterday was the weirdest, crabbiest day ever. Even knitting didn't do much to snap me out of the mood I was in. In fact, I still have some residual moodiness leftover. Anything good in the news today?
Eh, I guess that's it. Send me some funny stuff... I need a laugh. Ciao.
8/09/05 5:12 AM
I am getting smarter.. now I just leave the AC on at night when it's too hot. Good thing, too. Woke up this morning, it's 80 degrees with 70 percent humidity. I opened the patio door and it literally took my breath away. Horrible! I think it's supposed to cool down after this. My lord, I hope so.
So I had the crabbiest day ever yesterday. I had to come home and take a 20 minute nap, and decided at the last minute to run over to the local establishment to meet some friends for pool and darts. I only actually played one game of darts (because I SO suck at it!), but it was fun to see everyone. I told them I was crabby and they helped me just get over myself. Heh.
I don't think they're ever going to let the space shuttle land. Now it's California at 7:00 (my time) this morning. Just get them home and then ground those stupid things...
I can't believe they're allowing that thug Bertuzzi to play in the NHL again. I think as long as Moore can't play, he shouldn't be able to play, either. I wanna see the Wild play the Canucks this year, just so I can boo him.
Oh, I don't think I like this at all. Now that I own a house, stuff like this matters more. Yuck.
Is this scary or what? Marc Cohn (my Walkin' in Memphis and Silver Thunderbird guy.) got shot in the head in an attempted car-jacking! Eeeek! He's okay, but how scary.
I don't think I ever watched one second of Dallas.
Okay, time to get this put out there and then get set to face another day. Knitting tonight - YAY! See you later. Ciao.
8/08/05 5:01 AM
I learned yesterday that I'm an awesome mini-golfer for the first 9 holes, and then I totally fall apart. I got a hole-in-one on the very first shot, and kept at par for the next 8... then... well, I lost my golf mojo. I think on one hole it took me about 8 or 9 tries. But it was a beautiful hot sunny afternoon and I had excellent company, so it really couldn't have been a better day.
It's about time. He deserves a raise. Blah blah blah. I just want hockey to start.
Well, I guess that Brat Camp didn't really help this brat. Okay, then. How about some real time instead of TV time?
Did "Like a Rolling Stone" really change the world? I still like "Tangled Up in Blue" better.
Lots of big raindrops and a little lightning and thunder this morning, and then it's supposed to get HOT again today. When I was out running around yesterday I didn't leave the AC on.. got home at dinner time and it was 85 degrees in here. Sad but true - I'm looking forward to fall this year. Have a good day, kids. Ciao.
8/07/05 9:31 AM
I need to change the pictures on my banner, to reflect the latest version of life. Time to go thru the pictures again.
I have a good meme up on the Live Journal, go take a look at that.
Bastards! but someone needs to explain to me - who is stupid enough to FALL for one of these scams? Maybe on your first day on the internet or something...
Mel Gibson needs to just go away now. G'bye, Mel. Just go. BuhBye.
Wow. I don't know if I'd want to do this... but it's good to know that I could.
Another most beautious day.. I'm brunching with friends and just generally playing and having fun. Hope your day is just as nice. Ciao,Bellas.
8/06/05 9:57 AM
Sadly, I did not win one meeeeellion dollars at poker last night. I may have even lost a buck or two. But it was still fun, and there were about 20 people there... good to see everyone.
We decided to grab a quick bite before we got there, so we headed over to Wagner's Drive-In. I haven't been there in literally years, and it's still just as good. And now that I live on this side of the world.. well.. I'll have to make that a habit, I'm pretty sure.
What else? I walked my little self around Lake Harriet yesterday. I used to be able to do it in about 30 minutes if I was really moving. It took about an hour yesterday! Had to stop and just rest a lot. I wasn't going for speed, though.. it was about seeing if I could do it without having to call to get picked up. Heh. I did it!
That's what I've got. I'm gonna go play now. Ciao, Bellas. Have a good day.
8/05/05 8:45 AM
Vacation Day! YAY! I woke up at about 8:00 and it's gorgeous out there. I don't think it's going to be hell hot, so I'm going to play outside today as much as possible. Erranding and all the rest of that boring stuff can wait until tomorrow. (not that hanging out with you is boring, Mare. Not at all!) And it's poker night, so I'm pretty sure I'll win one meeeeellion dollars. Or at least five bucks.
I am so anxious to go outside that I don't even think I'll look at the news yet. Maybe, though, I'll find a nice outside blogging spot. If I do that, I'll let you know. Ciao, bellas. It's a beautiful day!
8/04/05 4:59 AM
I wandered over to the patio door this morning and threw it open. Ahhhh... it's COOL out there right now. Like 30 degrees cooler than the other day. I turned off that loud AC (although I must say, it held up really well over the last month or so) and I'm hearing crickets instead of fans. Nice.
Maybe I should just walk everywhere from now on. This scares me.
What did Martha do? Why did they extend her home confinement?
My prediction? Nick and Jessica will break up, and Regis is fired.
Was feeling pretty yucky last night.. much better this morning. Maybe it's an every other day thing? Who knows. Tonight I really want to go meet some friends over at Grand Ole Creamery.. even if it's just for one tiny scoop. And show of hands: who thinks I should take tomorrow off? Yep. That's what I thought, too. Ciao, Bellas. Have a good day.
8/03/05 5:03 AM
At various points throughout the day yesterday I believed it was Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. Never once did I think Tuesday. ::sigh:: Knitting, however, was an unusually bright spot! And I got a lot done on the blanket.. two more weeks and it'll be done, I bet.
And then I fell asleep while I was on the phone. Sorry about that. I don't know that I've ever done that.. but I was finally feeling a little better. I think that's the first time I've been relaxed since Sunday afternoon. I was supposed to go have dinner with some friends tonight - playing that one by ear for now.
Let's look at some news:
Is it just me? Shouldn't they be doing repairs like thisbefore they go into outerspace?
Well yikes. An airbus went down in Canada. Everyone survived, thankfully. I had to laugh just a little bit at one of the comments in the story:
"One of the hostesses said, 'You can calm down, it's OK,' and yet the plane was on fire and smoke was pouring in," Dunlop told The AP. "I don't like to criticize, but the staff did not seem helpful or prepared."
Um, AirFrance may want to invest in some more training for its flight attendants..
For the life of me, I will never ever understand why they didn't open the damn trunk first. The car was sitting right there - and they said five different times that they had searched it?!? Idiots. Those kids died needlessly.
I love Jennifer Aniston's attitude about the whole breakup.. makes you realize that Hollywood stars are just people, too. Note to self - pick up Vanity Fair on 8/9.
And that's about it. REALLY Wednesday today, and halfway through the week. It's still just scary, scary hot and humid. I got my electric bill yesterday, and I was almost afraid to open it. It wasn't all that bad, but still, about double what it should be. But how can you NOT have the AC on when it's like this?
Off to work. Have an amazingly adequate day. Ciao.
8/02/05 5:17 AM
When did it turn so god-awful hot again? I solemnly swear right now, I'm not going to complain this winter about how cold it is. You can hold me to that one.
Everyday, I search my stats to see who is reading this (yeah, you at CBS.com.. I just know you're makin' a made-for-tv movie about me). My stats also tell me what search words people are using to find the page. Here are the top five
1. chele (Pretty obvious. except I think she's also some italian actress)
2. kilz primer (I did way too much talking about painting in June)
3. ineffectual fear (what the hell?)
4. the moolie is going to pay for it (LOL! Okay - the mafiosi is reading my blog)
And finally, my most favorite one of all:
5. idiot nut mental picture (yep. that one says it all...)
I don't feel much like going through the news this morning.. so you'll just have to do that for yourselves. I will talk to you later, Bellas. Ciao.
8/01/05 5:15 AM
We came. We swap-meeted. We left. We also sweated and swatted mosquitos and went to a community theater play (pictures forthcoming). I didn't realize how freakin' hot it was going to be down here. I have learned a thing about my new house (and every new house has its own 'thing', I think.) - I can't ever let it get too hot in here, because this place just holds the heat in like a little oven. It was way up over 80 in here when I got home yesterday morning, and it took until this morning to get it all cooled off (lots of strategically placed fans and the AC). It's supposed to be 90 again today... I'm leaving the air on when I leave.
When I go up north, I totally ignore the news for 2 days.. it's my little break. So let's delve back into it together, shall we?
Mmmm.. barbecue. Oh wait. That's different. Sorry. I'm overly tired, and that's the first thing that came out of my mouth. My internal dialogue editor hasn't fully kicked in yet...
If one of my loved ones was up in that space shuttle, I'd just hold my breath 'til they got back home again. Doesn't this seem like an ominous-made-for-TV-movie moment?
See? There's all kinds of handy advice in the news. Thank you! I was planning on giving mine away, but I guess I will keep them now.
It's about time we joined the rest of the country on this one. No drinking if you're driving. Ever. It's a good rule.
This woman says the cemetery lost her dad's grave.. but in - what - 30 some years, no one ever went to see it? That's why I'm not going in the ground. I just want everyone to carry my ashes around with 'em! Take me out to dinner.. to a show... shopping... to knitting! Just don't spill me. Heh heh heh.
Okay. Now we're all caught up, and it's time to get to work. I kinda feel like I didn't really get a weekend. I've got lots of stuff going on this week, too, so I have to be a little careful..don't want to get too tired out. One day at a time, chele. Just one. Talk to you later - Ciao!
